Organisational challenges in defining quality

James Walker kicked the conversation off with a key question, who actually owns quality at your organisation? Quality is essential in software delivery, and collaboration between developers and testers is crucial for achieving quality. Building a mutual respect and involvement in bug fixes can bridge the gap between testers and developers, and improve overall product quality. But can this lead to the ‘bystander effect’, in which no one seems to be responsible for quality?

Chris Harbert points out that legacy systems are forcing organisations to adress their technical debt and complexity in order to improve their quality standards. Having a clear plan, architectural overview, and leveraging test automation can help untangle legacy systems and pave the way for better quality practices. This can enhance testability and reduce toil during sprints.

Rich Jordan brings up another key question: How do you measure quality and what metrics do you use? Key metrics include bug discovery rates, test coverage, customer satisfaction scores, and support team efforts. These metrics provide insights into the effectiveness of quality initiatives and highlight areas for improvement.

Finally, Chris and James consider the impact of AI on current organisational testing efforts. Generative AI and non-deterministic behaviour may complicate testing, so requiring skilled testers is paramount to ensure you’re in line with organisational quality objectives, meeting customer expectations, and also providing a good user experience.

Watch the full episode to learn more!